This summer, during a trip to London and Birmingham to visit some friends, I made a quick detour when I hit the familiar Tottenham Court Road to stop by Florida State University’s London campus.

Back in 2019, I spent a semester studying in London, and I never knew how much five months could change my life. Florida State University is one of a few American universities that actually owns property in London, and this property was more than just your average set of buildings. Located on Great Russell Street, just two blocks from the British Museum, the London flats and classrooms sit in a series of 17th-century buildings.

These were all once homes to people over the years, but after FSU acquired the property, these homes were converted into classrooms and dorms. In the main entrance, though, you’ll still see remnants of the past with the grand staircase of dark wood, a chandelier and a painted ceiling two stories up.

It was a very nostalgic moment for me visiting the site, as I have some of my best memories not only from college but also from life in these flats. Some of my best classes were held in both the classrooms and on the streets of London, and I made some amazing friends during my time in the city. I took a public speaking class in London, which I thought would only require me to give speeches to my classmates, but my Irish professor threw us out into the streets of London to give speeches to tourists and locals alike, a once-terrifying concept that truly transformed me.

Studying in London has made me want to live in London ever since, and I hope to do that someday, for it truly is a one-of-a-kind city steeped in history. There’s never a dull day in the city.

And for those with kids about to head off to college, I strongly encourage them to take that opportunity to study abroad; it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

— Aoife O’Riordan, associate editor